How did YOU get your clients?

delusion · Jun 21st, 2007, 17:28

I'm just wondering; how do you freelance-guys get your gigs?
Are you advertising? Do people contact you because of your portfolio? Or did one of your "old" clients refer to you for building a website? Are you looking at websites thinking "I can do better, let's send a mail"?

I haven't been a freelancer for a long time yet, but my clients are all from "word of mouth".
How about yours?

sannbe · Jun 21st, 2007, 18:16

I am new at web design, but I freelance in another business and all, I repeat, all of my work now is referrals from other customers. I have been doing it long enough that my clients come to me rather than me having to dig for them.
That being said, as a new freelancer, you will have to be very proative to get clients....You have to get your work out there which will bring in more clients. And yes, if you see a site that could be better, all you can do is ask...good luck Most of all...enjoy yourself!!

JacobHaug · Jun 23rd, 2007, 08:33

Yep, referrals. All my work come from referrals. I do a good job, people know that, and they pass me along to their friends which is exactly what I want done. Also I do some advertising but only if things get slow...which recently has not been happened.

Lchad · Jun 23rd, 2007, 11:28

I get referrals also. But recently a local computer service/sales company has begun to send me all his web design business. How lucky is that?
He likes knowing he is running a full service business without having to put a web designer on the payroll.
I haven't advertised in years but in the beginning I would run business card ads ocassionally in local newspapers.
Google searches have helped me as well.

Pádraig · Jun 24th, 2007, 17:25

You can also pick up some easy jobs at forums, and get decent pay for them.

ITG · Aug 11th, 2007, 23:40

Yeh, some of those job forums can also make you a decent income, but it does take persistence, and persistence, and persistence - and a bit of guerrilla marketing=).

Like what sannbe is mentioning, it could be an idea to actively seek out such opportunities. And find businesses that might get asked for design work, but don't actually have a designer on-board. That's also where ITG and other freelancing sites can come in and help such businesses (or designers) outsource some of the work they cannot do.

Jenni197 · Aug 24th, 2007, 13:59

Like sannbe, all the clients I have right now are referrals from the previous ones. It usually takes some time and efforts to make clients come to you, so you'll have to be persistent and determined and so far try to look for customers on forums and freelancing sites.

andyf · Aug 29th, 2007, 13:28

I am not a freelance but what i have seen in my hosting busienss too is that
referrals from previous satisfied clients are the most effective in getting business.

Hence Customer satisfaction is our motto for our business, A happy customer will bring 10 new customers and so on.....
Also Forums like this one " webforumz " play an vital role for getting new clients.

maneetpuri · Dec 20th, 2007, 09:11

If you want to get yourself some clients, i think elance.com should be a good place to drop in. However, since there is a lot of competition, you need to bid for your work. That' how i usually procure client from abroad